The afternoon storms gave some relief to sweltering temperatures that were among the hottest levels of the summer in Chicago

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Scattered showers moved south of the Chicago area Monday night following a hot and humid day with strong storms.

Damage was left throughout the Chicago area and as many as 29,000 power customers were without electricity. That number was down to about 3,700 customers by Tuesday morning, a ComEd official told NBC Chicago.

High winds pummeled tree-lined streets in the Andersonville neighborhood, causing limbs to break and smash into cars and anything else in its way.

"The rains came down and they were horizontal, then the wind came," Bob Henning said. "I'd say it lasted five minutes, but it could take anything out."

At Bryn Mawr and Pulaski, Montrose Cemetery was hit hard. Splintered trees -- many which will need to be removed -- covered the headstones.

Chicago police were dispatched to the area to keep people away from live wires torn down by an aging tree.

The afternoon storms gave some relief to sweltering temperatures that were among the hottest levels of the summer in Chicago. Temperatures rose into the low-90s across northern Illinois and northwest Indiana.

The record for Aug. 25 stands at 95 degrees, set in 1991 and matched in 2003.

"Between being outside, you walk into air conditioning and it hits you like a wall. And you walk back outside you could cut it with a knife," Gannon said.

The hot temperatures may result in heat-related stress and illness, especially for the young, the elderly, and those participating in outdoor activities.

Cook County opened several cooling centers for residents. Information was available by calling the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management at 312-603-8286 or by visiting www.cookcountyhomelandsecurity.org.

More than 100 cooling centers were opened across the state. Darryl Walker was taking advantage of one in Calumet Park.

"The only time I get rest is like three in the morning, and this kind of heat like this, once it gets to to like 7 o'clock I wake up, because I've been sweating all night," Walker said.